


Alone Together

by Winter_Moonlight



Series: Izumi/Leo Week [7]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winter_Moonlight/pseuds/Winter_Moonlight
Summary: IzuLeo Week 2020 - Day Seven | FutureThe exhilaration remains rushing through their veins all the way until the end. The calm, charging and retreating waves steadily exude happiness without overpowering the atmosphere; without so much intensity that their hearts burst into anxious beats. Here, there is nothing but the easy-going nature of the tranquil ocean and summer beach; the stage set to play whatever desire yearns for release. The laughter and the sounds of smiles never cease, dreams never coming to an end.“Are you fixing it? The new song.”“Figured I might adjust the arrangement, but as I thought, I’m a genius. It was perfect the way I had it before.”
Relationships: Sena Izumi/Tsukinaga Leo
Series: Izumi/Leo Week [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768717
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	Alone Together

The bright lights overhead reflect back into his eyes with the pure white paper centimeters away from his face; the pitch-black bar staffs and music notes doing nothing to lessen its intensity. A sliver of skin on his stomach quivers with the chill of the wooden floor pressing against it intimately. It’s like laying on the sun-warmed sand with the waves coming in to stroke teasingly with its cool touch. With his elbows digging into the ground, he pokes his pen between his lips, teeth nibbling on the plastic and lips kissing its surface. The tune he hums into the otherwise silent room accompany the gentle sounds of the lapping waves in his head, all the while kicking his legs back and forth slowly through the warm air.

Steady crescendo and decrescendo of soft waves, progressively increasing in intensity fill the still space. The waves aren’t high, there are no loud crashes or the seeking desire to pull their victim into the dark depths of the cold unknown. Only gentle embraces encircling at their hips presents itself before them. Waves solely slip wetly across the smooth, sandy surface of the shore before retreating back home where the noon sun may not reach them as easily – may not evaporate their very life into vapor.

Still, the excitement never falters. Faster and faster, the intensity increases. The ocean water sprays into the air – thick with the salty scent of the saline sea – and splashes back to reconnect with its comrades. Human bodies run through their bond, pressing against the need to stay as one and coming out victorious. The sounds of joy join the fray – of frolic and play. The melody vibrating through the sometimes clear and sometimes blue liquid spurs their hearts.

All at once, the waves rise high, human body dropping deep within from a far height. Gravity pulling their form downwards, the water crashes back in a single formation. With one sharp slap, the ocean regroups and continues on their dance and song, perhaps performing together even better than before. Waves lap at the shore excitedly, soaking in all of the impurities and exuding out peaceful cheer in return. As the human reemerges with a dry look after being tossed in, new tunes rise to the surface. Water drips tantalizingly over smooth skin and stretching thin only to snap off from soaked strands of hair.

The high sun doesn’t sear. Desiring to join the play, its rays stay warm; pricking at skin and stray droplets, but not enough to drain them of life. The star’s brightness adds to the merriment of the ocean, celebrating and savoring the days of blazing heat that accompany the cool waters wading with jolly. The chill is a welcome sensation, cooling too hot skin even in the mild beams reflecting off of each grain of sand.

The exhilaration remains rushing through their veins all the way until the end. The calm, charging and retreating waves steadily exude happiness without overpowering the atmosphere; without so much intensity that their hearts burst into anxious beats. Here, there is nothing but the easy-going nature of the tranquil ocean and summer beach; the stage set to play whatever desire yearns for release. The laughter and the sounds of smiles never cease, dreams never coming to an end.

The door opens with an airy pressure.

“You’re late, Sena.”

His eyes remain on the charcoal black music notes smeared across blindingly white paper as he greets the person entering the dance room. Pen cap scratching across the soft, moist surface of his tongue, he internally hums the crescendo of harmonies within his head. The volume remains high for a time before retreating into a decrescendo of something more suitable to the ears for long periods of time. Izumi can hit this high note, no problem. He knows; he has tested the model time and time again and challenged him further and further through their years together. Since the very moment he heard Izumi singing so beautifully off-key in that room within Yumenosaki Academy. That time, he took it upon himself to make sure the stunning voice doesn’t go to waste – shining front and center and not lost to the world.

That would be too tragic.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry for making you wait, Leo-kun. The shoot ran overtime.” Izumi exhales a breath more harshly than normal. The unusual noise draws Leo’s attention to it automatically. “I sent you a text.”

“Mm.” He replies absently. He twirls the pen in his mouth, lips closing around it more so and jumbling up his articulation as he replies, “If you’re exhausted, we can do something else. You didn’t have to hurry over.”

His shins switch positions, one falling to the ground in a controlled speed while the other one rises.

“I’ll be fine in a second.” The sounds of a bottle opening and liquid getting guzzled down as quietly as possible echo in Leo’s ears louder than it does in the soundproof room. “Are you fixing it? The new song.”

“Figured I might adjust the arrangement, but as I thought, I’m a genius. It was perfect the way I had it before.”

“Mhm. That self-satisfied smirk on your face says it all.”

Leo finally tilts his head up as flawless calves glide into his peripherals. Izumi kneels beside him, lips slick and glossy with water while that same liquid swirls around in the clear, glass bottle in the model’s hand. He stares, transfixed, as azure eyes move back and forth over the sheet music. Pink tongue suddenly peeks out a minuscule amount to run over moist lips and cleaning up the stray drops of precious water.

“Do you like this song? You never said.”

“Tch, you still gave me the hard parts.” Those pale, rosy lips paired with the blue eyes lift in slight annoyance, but nothing so bothersome as to cause worry. “I like all of your songs.”

“That’s just an easy answer.” Leo huffs back playfully. He puts more weight on his elbows and pushes his upper body higher. “Go on, say you don’t like it. You know, maybe I want someone to say it plainly and mercilessly rip it off like a band aid. Then I’d know those were their true feelings.”

There was a time when Izumi said he hated singing his songs, after all. That it was painful and not at all fun. But even then, Izumi never said he hated them purely as songs. Back then, those words hurt. Back then, a lot of things hurt him. Things are different, now – or so he’d like to believe. He is different. Izumi is too. They’ve grown stronger. Criticism can’t hurt them when it’s coming from a good heart.

“It’s not like I’m lying when I say it.” Izumi turns his eyes away from the black and white to finally meet him eye to eye. He wonders if Izumi sees the same jade color in his eyes that Leo sees in the reflection of them through Izumi’s azure orbs. “It’s different, though, from what we generally do. Almost. You retained our usual image, so it’s still similar enough to fall into our routine if we wanted.”

“Stagnant or not, we’ll have to see as we go.” Leo shrugs. “It’s better to keep moving, but maybe it’s not quite time to make our plays yet. Moving too soon is just as lethal as moving too late.”

Izumi drones a sound, neither affirming nor rejecting. “Well, let’s just get started. The sooner we finish, the better.”

Leo reaches up, entangling his fingers into the lapel of Izumi’s very light jacket and pulling down with slightly less force than he pushes up with his other hand pressing to the ground. Their lips draw closer and meet in a reverberation of muffled voices. The contact lasts no more than a few seconds before they part with a moist smack, the sound reminding Leo of gently lapping waves. Leo’s fingers release their grip on the fabric, allowing Izumi to uncurl his spine.

“‘Kay, ready.”

They rise from their positions on the ground and move their things to the far corner of the room. The instrumentals for the new piece are already recorded, however, the vocals are not. Leo, who knows the song best, sings the lyrics piece by piece as they go – stopping and going as their bodies do.

“Who has the next part?” The model asks, standing in a spot that skews them awkwardly in the mirror.

“Suo, who should be in position three, right now.” Leo replies, looking down at the notes they have laid on the ground just ahead of them and out of the way. “We’re in V formation here, with center up front. If we have Suo step to the side and center step to the side Suo was at but in front, we should be able to go to a formation with three in the back and two in front, no problem.”

“This,” Izumi steps to the position Tsukasa is supposed to stand at and does the new choreography slowly. “And then side step, making center be with the back row.”

“Wait, do that again.” Leo commands lightly, skipping to stand in front and face his partner. He waits until Izumi finishes the motions before reaching forward to gently take hold of Izumi’s left wrist and commenting, “How about this instead? Raise this hand… Like this… And tilt your hips a little more this way… There. Do it again for me?”

The music doesn’t play, only the sounds of their footsteps fill the empty air in the room.

“That does look better.” Izumi nods. He steps around Leo and kneels to the floor, marking up the papers they have strewn there. “Naru-kun has the next part, right? She’s in the back, position five. Let’s have Kasa-kun step to the side again, going to the outside, the one in position two up front step all the way to the back with the new lane, and Naru-kun move around and walk up through the middle, further than the rest of us. The other side will mirror, of course.”

“Let’s try that shift to see if we have enough beats without colliding.”

Only then does the music begin to play again, all with the press of the small remote in Leo’s hand. It takes a few tries, but he and Izumi successfully coordinate each intricate piece of footwork to mere milliseconds within the melody. The song is fast, probably one of their quickest yet. Still, with the two of them – especially being the two of them – new or not, the song is successfully choreographed with precision. Their natural sync getting put the test as their creative dance becomes more and more complicated and detailed as they become increasingly comfortable with the song.

“You sure Ritsu is okay with doing a flip on stage?” Leo asks on their walk home. The cool, night breeze splashes against his sweat slicked forehead chillingly, the sensation spreading pleasure through his body after the exertion.

“He did it no problem on solid ground. We’ll ask next we see him.”

Leo can’t help but breathily chuckle as he relaxes his hands behind his head and allows the evening air to fully enclose around his body. “Who are we? 2wink?”

“You’re the one who said we should change it up a little.” Izumi rolls his eyes at him.

“It’s just a little test. Knights can’t use the same weapons forever.”

The model hums indifferently, ending the conversation there. It is a topic they have already talked a lot about, after all. Nothing more needs to be said. Leo briefly closes his eyes, keeping his feet moving to the beat of Izumi’s underneath the silent night. It’s late, only a few stranglers just like them unhurriedly make their way home. The chill floods his veins as he inhales the crisp air. Opening his eyes again, Leo drops his arms.

A couple of slender fingers warmly cut through the biting freeze. They curl around his pinky and ring fingers clumsily as the two of them walk along the streetlight lit sidewalk. Leo adjusts his hand, untangling his appendages and slipping them more comfortably in between each of Izumi’s fingers. Their joints keep their hands locked and palms pressing together intimately, even as their tired fingers lax their grip.

“Not going home, Leo-kun?” Izumi asks when they stand in front of his apartment door.

Leo whines pitifully, “Eh~ Can’t I stay over? I like your place better.”

“Our places are pretty much the same.”

The lock clicks open with a noise that seems far too loud beneath the onyx sky void of stars – shooed away from their home by the city lights.

“Yours is cozier and comfier. It makes me feel like I’m more at home.”

“Maybe because I actually live in it.” In spite of the words, Izumi tugs on their entangled hands and leads him inside.

Exhaustedly, they barely manage to eat a quick dinner and shower before slipping into Izumi’s bed laden with fluffy pillows and plush comforter. The minute his head hits the pillow, Leo wants to close his eyes and drift back into his dreams of frolic and play once again. Although he would like nothing more, Izumi, who curls up and tucks his head underneath Leo’s chin, is tense. Leo pulls the covers up just a little higher, situating them snugly over Izumi’s shoulders to keep him warm. Keeping his hand there, Leo rhythmically strokes the edges of Izumi’s back in soft, soothing caresses – like waves lapping at the shore gently.

“What are you thinking about?”

The model’s voice is muffled against Leo’s shirt. “Nothing really… You have a flight in the morning, I’ll drop you off. Let’s hurry and sleep so we wake up on time.”

“We didn’t get to spend much time together… Well, I was only here for a few days, anyways.” Leo exhales steadily, shoulders sagging. “We left the others all alone.”

“You think they’re okay without one of us there?”

“I…” The words stick on the roof of his mouth. Jumbled phrases spin around in his head like a tsunami crashing down and pushing unsuspecting people into the deadly current. “I think it would help them, but they have each other. We have to trust them.”

“We did teach them well enough, didn’t we, Leo-kun?”

To not make the same mistakes they did?

Leo hopes so. More than anything. They were the lucky ones, his and Izumi’s ending turned out to be a happily ever after. They pushed and strived through the harsh current to make it happen themselves. And they will do it again, if they must. For them. Still, if they can avoid the despair that threatened to end their journey of struggling survival in the first place, all the better.

“We’re right by their sides. Even if we aren’t physically.” His whispered voice seeps into the air, saturating it like sea salt transforming freshwater into the ocean. The anxious energy disappears and only the stillness of the homey bedroom remains. “You have work tomorrow, too. Let’s sleep, okay? Goodnight, Sena.”

“Mm…” Izumi’s sleepy mumble is cute – almost uncharacteristic to his normal persona. A pleasure that only Leo gets to see and indulge in. “Goodnight.”

Their bodies cuddle closer together, sharing the body heat between them. Izumi’s natural scent comforts his nerves, fully relaxing his muscles. This is home. Snuggling just a little closer, fitting around Izumi’s body like two pieces of a puzzle, Leo closes his eyes. Though the dark is just as empty as the deep ocean, the freezing solitude is chased away with the warmth right beside him.

The next morning comes too quickly. They were never good at goodbyes; no matter how many times they have gone through them by now. Leo stares deep into Izumi’s eyes. The azure color in his orbs always manage to ensnare him, no matter what may shine in them – whether it be with the burning ferocity of a hurricane or with the calm stillness of a spring.

“After this trip, I’m going back to Japan.” Leo says, his voice just a smidge lower than normal. “Meet you there?”

Izumi shrugs, shaking his head. “Not sure. But I’ll try.”

“Alright.”

“Don’t look like that…” The model shifts his eyes around before leaning in closer, pressing his lips to the corner of Leo’s mouth and whispering, “We’ll see each other again sooner or later.”

“I’m not making a weird expression.” Leo denies. The hot breath that mists across his skin sends a tingling shiver down his spine, quickening his heartbeat. “Take care of yourself here, all alone. Work hard to be a model and come back quicker.”

“I should be telling you that. Eat your meals, got it, Leo-kun? Don’t compose all day.” Izumi smirks, turning his head into the quick kiss that Leo plants on his lips.

Perhaps the kiss isn’t so quick, after all. Longing rushes through his body. His chest desperately clenches in hopes of getting his feelings across through the nips of teeth and swipes of tongue because words lack the true intensity of them that pumps with each beat of his heart. Leo cups his hand behind Izumi’s neck, threading his fingers into soft, moonlight colored hair and keeping Izumi in place.

“I love you, Sena.”

“Have a safe flight, Leo-kun.” Izumi pulls back. He steps away, keeping contact with his fingers until the very last moment when the tips wisp across his arm like the fleeting wind. Though his lips are pinkened from their kiss, the gentle smile pulling at Izumi’s cheeks do not lose their tender, affectionate feelings. “Love you, too.”

The late-morning sky is as bright as one expects on a clear and sunny day – a day perfect for air travel. It streams in through the windows like tiny glimpses of the beautiful world outside. The seat he sits on vibrates with the whirring engines, propellers spinning frantically to set the metal bird into motion. The covering of the backrest is soft against his check, cloth pressing against his skin like a lover’s caress as he blearily stares out of the small, oval shaped window. His fingers absently tap against the cold, metallic coated armrest. The cool sensation lingers on his fingertips with every pass of the melody, appendages bouncing up and down against the hard surface rhythmically.

The clouds are cottony like the softest sweet treat and the purest of white that would put a bride’s dress to shame. The bright atmosphere nearly makes him squint, pupils burning with too much exposure to such a brilliant light. Still, the luminous sky exudes nothing but positive rays of energy that pierce through the machinery he sits in and stabs straight into his heart with precision. The tune in his head follows the streaking of the wind as they torpedo through the heavens.

It whistles in their ears sharply, crying out greetings as they pass by and splits the air apart from their comrades temporarily. The air, soaked in sunlight, happily dance before his eyes. Their freedom unlimited, stretching across the endless sky and into outer space. Even if trapped within an airtight grip, with a single, sliver of a chance to escape, they will succeed and be out of sight before anyone realizes, no less cheery as before their entrapment. Nevertheless, here, high in the sky, the air is free to do as it pleases.

Rushing across the atmosphere, carrying clouds along the way, the breeze sings its freedom to the world below. Under the warmth of the sun, it frolics about without care, whipping objects high into the atmosphere and twirling them around with joy. Like a fluid dance, it follows along with the rise and fall of the ever-changing air space. Without falter, the air continues on its way, enjoying each second within the present moment.

Flying through the sky freely, with only imaginary creatures as their guide, warm air streaks across skin in tantalizing kisses; tingling drying eyes and brushing their invisible fingers through hair messily. To free fall only to safely level out and ascend once more sets their hearts free. Laughter fills the atmosphere as much as the sunbeams shining from above. Their hearts pound against their ribcages, blood rushing energetically to even the very tips of their limbs and spreading the joy, thoroughly saturating every cell.

They dance together without shadows – sunlight embracing every molecule of space high above the clouds. Eyes sparkling against the clear blue sky shine as brightly as the atmosphere reflecting the range of colors floating all around the world. With the breeze as their only companion, they fly across the land as freely as a bird. No matter where their dreams take them, the journey along the way is to be savored – tucking sweet memories deep within their hearts.

The loud ping of the seatbelt sign makes him flick his eyes to the paneling above every passenger’s head.

Leo takes a deep breath, holding it within his lungs for a moment and allowing time for the melodies to drift away peacefully. Even to him, the new song is catchy. Probably catchier than any other of Knights’ songs due to its nature and theme. Even the choreography has a beguiling highlight point, something that everyone, Knights and fans alike, can easily pick up on and copy without effort.

The plane descends with a freefalling dip, lurching his heart into his throat and exciting his blood.

When his feet are on solid ground once more, he makes his way across the busy airport; air smelling of a random mix of cultures and of trapped gas molecules warmed by the sun streaming in through the glass panes. Leo goes to the assigned meeting spot, greeting his manager pleasantly and getting escorted out of the airport safely. He gets led to a car and they are off. The scenery passes by quickly, the wind rustling the tree leaves like cheerleaders do pom poms at a sports game. The leather seat is cool against his back, just as cold as the air conditioner blasting through the vents and spraying across his skin.

There is only a little time to fill his stomach with something small while getting his face made perfect with makeup and a stylist handing him a change of clothes. The walls of the building are plain, for the most part, setting the current no-nonsense mood effortlessly. But the back area has never been important to buildings like these; it is the front where such decorations and color are most vital.

The reason for it being so, he can hear even through the thick double doors that he now stands before. Leo licks his lips as a staff member clicks it open, allowing a gust of air waiting for their escape to rush by his face. Bright fluorescents momentarily blind his eyes, but it is nothing he can’t adjust to quickly. The chatter stops only to be replaced with applause and cheers.

The microphone in his hand is heavy. He steps onto this stage by himself and flashes a bright grin at the smiles directed towards him.

“Good evening!” Leo greets ardently, chest becoming lighter by the second the longer they shine their light on him. “Thank you for coming here for me. Let’s go one by one, okay? And let’s talk lots and lots. It’s nice to meet you!”

With that, he takes a seat behind the long table on stage and the fan signing event begins right on time. The idle chatter of people waiting in their seats starts once more, in a low, respectful tone, while the staff direct people orderly. For an event for just himself, there are a lot of people who he gets to meet – people who graciously gift him with treats and material objects – all with unique features and voices that make them beautiful, individual people in their vast world. Each person leaves just a lingering touch on his senses to remember them by as they get up from their seat across from him and leave their perfume in the air.

“This is a very popular dessert from our country. I hope you enjoy it.”

Leo looks up at the fan taking the newly vacant seat across from him, his eyes trailing after their form as they descend into it. He feels his longer-than-usual canines slip over his bottom lip as he smiles at them. “Thank you! I’m excited to try it.” He reaches out, accepting both the box and the booklet to sign his autograph and write a short message in. The box is soon set to the side – the staff taking it away a second later – and opens the booklet in front of him. “Are there other things I should try while I’m here? Local delicacies?”

His speech is slow, the foreign language a tongue-twister in his mouth. But they’re patient and excitedly tell him of good restaurants and street foods around the more popular locations for tourist, not even taking the time to take a breath before adding in the hole-in-the-wall shops to the list. He listens carefully, his smile never leaving his lips even while he turns away and focuses his eyes on the booklet, signing his name with a flourish.

“Um…”

Leo flicks his gaze up questioningly, tilting his head urging them to go on. “Something wrong?”

“No, nothing is wrong. I just have a gift for our Sleeping Dark Prince that I was hoping you can bring to him? It is not often Knights come to our country.”

Sleeping Dark Prince?

Ah. “Rittsu?” A chuckle barks out from between his lips unexpectedly. He hurries to stifle it before his voice becomes too loud. “Of course. I’ll bring it home with me and give it to him.” Leo holds out his hand, the other one laying splayed on the unfinished pages to keep it open. The fan’s expression lights up, eagerly putting a small, wrapped package on his palm. “We’re only just getting popular around here, so it might take us a little more time. And we all have been wrapped in individual activities, lately. Sorry that it is just me this time.” He says sheepishly, looking back towards the fan after a staff member from behind him takes the gift. “But I hope you stick with us until that time. We promise to protect your dreams and come running to you as soon as we can.”

The fan splutters, hurriedly reassuring him that just having him here and having the opportunity to buy a ticket is more than they can hope for.

Soon, the fan’s time limit comes to an end and Leo bids them goodbye with a grin. They, too, leave a lingering scent in the air, the breeze they create as they walk away blowing it into his personal space. The cycle repeats until everyone in the room has their turn, all of the fans returning to their assigned seats in front of the stage.

Microphone back in his hand and a lion-ear headband that was gifted to him on his head, Leo moves to stand in front of the long table. He fondly looks over all of the people he has met tonight. “Apologies that it is only me. But I promise you that we will be back. All five of us. Let’s end tonight with a song, okay? Remember us. We, as your Knights, will be by your side until the world ends.”

A soft tune begins to play from the speakers. A piano version of their song Silent Oath. A different Silent Oath to the one they sing as five. This one is for him. One he remixed to be specifically for his voice, and his voice alone. With how things are nowadays, there are four other versions he made similar to it – ones that are remixed to match each of them.

His soft breath brushes against the skin of the hand holding the microphone as he sings the rearranged ballad. It’s heavy in his hand, and his chest is tight, but it’s not so bad. It’s only temporary, after all. It’s only for the better. Happiness is around the corner. Soon, the equipment in his hand and the instrument in his throat will feel as light as it used to. He just has to be patient.

The night breeze is icy against his face flushed with dying exhilaration as he stands in the courtyard of the hotel he is staying at. His forearms rest on the railing of the bridge overlooking a little river filled with fancy show fish. The wind comes back for another round, whipping the shorter pieces of his hair that frames his face across his cheek and forehead, tickling him. The foliage around him rustle as nature intended them to, the sound beautifully infiltrating his eardrums.

His phone goes off, muffled deep within his pocket. The vibrations of it travel all throughout the fabric of his jacket, tingling his whole body. Leo shifts his weight to stand more steadily before taking it out. The screen is much too bright against the dark sky, but he eagerly stares at it and answers the call. “Sena, hey.”

 _“Hey, back.”_ Sena breathily greets in amusement. _“Done with the fan sign?”_

“Mm. One more tomorrow in a different part of the city. What’s up?”

_“Nothing. Just wanted to see if you made it alright.”_

Even as the wind ripples the water below, Leo can see his smile reflect back at him. “What about your work? Did the shoot go okay?”

_“Of course. The shots look good and we finished on time, this time.”_

His heart grows lighter the longer they chat aimlessly, deep into the night. He tells Izumi of all of the amazing fans he met and how Knights definitely has to come back to this country. He tells Izumi of all of the unique foods he got to try – Izumi chiding him to be careful of eating something he might not know doesn’t agree with his stomach – and of all of the gifts he gets to bring back to the others.

Nevertheless, the night eventually comes to an end and they bid farewell. “Meet you back home?”

_“I still have a few things left do to, but I’ll go back as soon as I can.”_

The light sigh that leaves his lips is carried away with the wind before it reaches his phone’s microphone. “I miss you.”

 _“It has only been a day.”_ Izumi pauses. _“I miss you, too. Take care, I’ll see you at home.”_

“Love you.”

Izumi returns the sentiment before ending the call.

Resting his arm back on the bridge rail, he allows his wrist to lose strength, phone dangerously dangling above the water in nearly lax fingers. Only the scent of water and flowers carried with the breeze accompany him now, underneath the cold, starless sky splashed solely with moonlight. Still, his heart has been warmed, keeping him from shivering in the sunless world around him.

Right before his eyes, the wind picks up strength and sends stray leaves high into the sky; allowing them to become free to roam the vast atmosphere as they please until they find their true place of rest.

The next day is much the same. Meeting new people, seeing new faces, and hearing new voices. The smile on his face is genuine – never escaping from his lips for more than a moment or two despite the pulsing clenching within his heart. Come the day after, Leo is already flying through the heavens again, rapidly making his way back to Japan. To the place where everything started. To the place where the air is familiar, no matter how things may change so quickly that he is left blindingly dizzy against the quaking earth.

“I think… I want to marry him.” His elbow digs into the metal grate of the garden table he sits at, a beauty at the other side staring at him in shock.

“Eh?!” Arashi squeaks. “ _Him_? What’s got marriage on your mind so suddenly, anyways?”

“I don’t know…” Leo trails off, looking away awkwardly. His eyes land on the lush foliage growing in Ensemble Square thanks to the professional hands they surely hired to perfect the outside, shrouding what may or may not occur within its walls. “We’ve been through a lot together already, and… It’s just that a lot of things are changing. Maybe it’s time for us to change?”

“Marriage is a big step.” Arashi breathes out. She reaches across the table, her eyes softening as she cups his forearm in her warm hand reassuringly. “If you think you’re ready and absolutely won’t regret it within the foreseeable future, then go for it. Throw yourself in with reckless abandon. But just because things around you are changing, it doesn’t mean you need to shackle him to your side to keep him there. In fact, after all is said and done, if he is still there, then it’s a sure thing he will stay forever. Remaining the same person as you have always been, a good, just person with a pure heart, within a whirlwind of changing circumstances is a better goal to have in mind. You’re strong, you can get through this. I love you, just as you are.”

He turns his head back shyly, eyes still staring away from Arashi’s earnest face and catching sight of the delicate fingers curling around his wrist in a warm embrace. “You really think so?”

“Of course! And… Well… If, after this is over, you still want to… I’ll help you start picking things out for the wedding.”

Leo finally tilts his head back up. He is accosted with amethyst orbs sparkling solemnly, if not a little dejectedly. “Thanks. You’re the best. Truly. Thank you for everything. You’ll stay by my side, too, won’t you?”

“Always. I’ll always be here, no matter who may come and go.” Arashi squeezes her grip slightly. Their eyes remain locked sentimentally until she smiles widely and claps her hands. “Scene, end! That was perfect!”

“Your acting has gotten better since the last time I saw you, Naru.” Leo compliments, closing the script she lent him and hands it back. He leans his head in his hand casually. “It was really natural, like you were really speaking from the heart.”

She laughs nervously. “I don’t know about that. They gave me a character that was like me, so it’s pretty easy to just be me. Though I’ve never been in love with my best friend who is in love with someone else.”

“Still, you really have a talent for this. I’m just working on the music for this particular play, so I’m not really getting involved in the actual practice sessions.” He shrugs. “But maybe I’ll have to go see it now~”

“Oh, you.” Arashi giggles, swatting at the air in between them. After a quick glance to her phone, she sits up straight and begins to stand. “Oh, gosh, I have to go do the real rehearsal now.”

“Break a leg~”

She walks to his side and brings him into a hug. “Thanks a bunch for helping me, Leo-kun. You were a pretty good actor, too.”

Probably because the character he was playing was also much like him.

He raises his chin higher than normal due to the height difference of someone sitting and someone standing. Lightly, he also encircles her in a hug, her warmth and scent seeping into body familiarly. “Anytime.”

Arashi steps back, her glamorous smile on display for all to see as she sets off with a wave of her hand. “See you later!”

He waves back. “Later!”

Leo watches until her form disappears into the distance. Once more, he is left alone – just as Arashi sets off on her journey by herself. The gentle gust ruffles his bangs. He breathes in the air deeply and pushes himself to a standing position, the palm of his hand digging into the design on the tabletop. The metal chair screeches against the stone paved ground, rumbling even the land beneath his feet. Putting the chair back in place, Leo languidly makes his way deeper into the garden space, blending into the shadows seamlessly as he creeps his way through.

Sharp leaves and the rough bark of trees scratch at his skin as he makes his way between them. Just beyond the seating area is a place free of human-made furniture. A spot where the grass is untouched and the surrounding trees provide shade alongside the drifting sun. Setting his fingertips on the trunk of a growing tree, he peaks around cautiously, wonderment filling his body the longer he stares into the space. It seems so out of place for Ensemble Square. A different world entirely.

Leo shuffles his way to the middle of the tiny grove and ever-so-slowly falls to his knees. The grass is both soft and itchy under his hands as he goes to lay down. Perhaps he will take a nap underneath the warm sunlight streaming through the leaves rustling in the wind. Although the flickering light that catches against his eyes is bothersome, his mind is too restless to fall into the dreams of his unconscious, anyways.

He squeezes a hand underneath his head to act as a pillow, the moistness of the grass sticking to his skin and tugging desperately. With his other arm, Leo drapes it over his eyes, the weight not so heavy if he keeps his head cradled within the crook of his elbow. The sun is effectively driven away, only creeping in through the edges, however, his mind still sings to him the melody that has been shaking his body to its very core. The new song style excites him as much as it makes him anxious.

But no matter what, their foundations will not be shaken. It will remain as solid and as immoveable as the earth he lays on.

Even through his clothing, he can feel each blade of grass beneath his back, all being pressed down and crinkled by his weight. While the melody continues to play, even if his unconscious is inaccessible, his day dreams take hold of him within the darkness of his closed eyes. The sounds and the feelings remind him of the times when they can run through fields of flowers with no worries. With their shoes tossed to the side, the soles of their feet become covered in broken foliage and dew. The pain of a stray woodchip or pebble is a sharp memory within the daze.

The times when sand seeps up from between their toes while running across the damp shores. Clumps of wet powder are sent flying into the air, only to drop to back to the ground with a heavy slap. The gritty feeling it leaves behind once it dries on their skin. The fearful steps they take on the boardwalk laden with planks of wood eagerly awaiting to embed a piece of themselves deep within their soft skin. And even the camping trips they take in the middle of summer and tread over sharp rocks carefully, feet screaming at the cold textures and shooting warning signals through their limbs.

The ground stays rooted beneath their feet at all times. A solid, constant companion that does not waver nor hesitate. Moments when their very foundations are quaking and may irreversibly split in two or even hundreds of pieces may happen. Nonetheless, the day eventually comes when lessons are learned and they can plant their two feet firmly without worry once more. The shaking never lasts forever, the freedom to walk upon the path they choose always returns.

The days when they can run across open fields, laughter echoing within the sky, will find their way back to them, no matter the cost. Trees swaying with their delight underneath the blazing sunlight cheer them on, so they must keep walking.

Leo doesn’t so much as hear the living creature that makes their way to his prone body as he feels the blades of grass brush against his waist, an unnatural pattern to the drifting wind.

He moves his forearm down a smidge, just enough to uncover one eye and peer upwards. He is greeted with a cocked head, hair slipping to the side with gravity, and bright crimson orbs. Curiosity swims in the pools of red tantalizingly, hypnotizing him into a staring contest before he can voice his own questions. The person leans over him, hands pressed so heavily into the ground next to Leo’s side that he can feel the dip in the earth.

“Want to nap together, Tsukippi?”

A soft grin lifts his lips instantly as he moves his arm back over his eye. “The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh, Rittsu?”

“Looks comfy, sleeping under the scattered warmth of the sun and the coolness of the shadows. Besides, you make a nice pillow.”

“Mm…” Leo hums tiredly in agreement. For the most part. “Were you looking for me?”

“Not really.” Ritsu shifts around, getting into a more comfortable seated position. “Rather, not yet. I was just on my way in when I thought I saw someone here. You know we have a recording session right now.”

Yeah, he knows. He’s the one who scheduled it.

“Lessons over already? How were the newbies this time?” With his eyes still covered, his own voice rings louder than the crinkling grass in his ears.

“They’re a handful by myself.” Ritsu huffs amusedly if not affectionately.

“Suo~?”

“Put me in charge. Had King duties to finish and Suou things we’re never quite privy to.”

“I see.” Leo mumbles. He leaves the silence to hang between them for just a moment longer. “Just the two of us, then.” As he expected. He throws his weight upwards, lifting his upper body to a sitting position in slow motion. “Ready?”

“When you are~”

Walking through ES shoulder-to-shoulder with the carpet dipping underneath their shoes, they make their way into one of the recording studios. Leo tells Ritsu to record first and he’ll do his own part afterwards. Though he doesn’t voice it, the quicker Ritsu can rest, the better – especially after a long day of school and lessons. As Ritsu steps into the recording area, Leo goes over to the mixing desk, full of knobs and sliders, and brings the heavy headphones to his ears. Sitting in the desk chair, his eyes absently rove over the familiar gadgets as he sets the system up for his new song. Knights’ new song.

With only a window pane between them, Leo signals that he is about to start the music with a nod of his head. The longer they go on, starting and stopping for each line, the more Leo becomes uncertain with the sound. The instrumentals and Ritsu’s voice travel loudly into his ears through the closed, pressuring space of the headphones, his foot tapping to the beat anxiously on the ground.

Pressing the button for the intercom, Leo tentatively suggests his next order, “Do that line again? Try going a note higher on this part, like…”

Ritsu hums his understanding after listening carefully to Leo’s voice.

And so, they try again. However, the outcome still comes out short. Leo pokes his tongue out in concentration, biting at it lightly as his mind races. The very foundation of the song rocks beneath his feet, tripping him up, making him fall in between the cracked ground, and towards the unknown depths of the earth’s core. Even so, he feels nothing but pride and gratitude towards Ritsu – who patiently waited inside the booth and sung verses repeatedly without complaint.

Ritsu probably can’t hear it himself, but Leo can. The change is so miniscule that it barely just fluctuates the tune of the song – still, Leo can’t release something that he only half-finished, leaving all of the pitfalls and mistakes within it; especially for Knights.

“Something wrong?” Ritsu’s voice scratches out from the intercom.

“Your voice changed…” Leo trails off, eyes never leaving the notes being displayed on the computer screen in front of him.

A deep chuckle echoes within his ears next, “I’m well pass that time, Tsukippi. I know you’ve been away, but I’m all grown up~”

Leo flicks his eyes upward and sniffs in amusement. Rather than getting deeper, Ritsu’s voice has become clearer. A testament to improvement; to new skills learned and to the new ease that comes along with practice. A testament to confidence. His fingers drum on the keyboard just light enough not to press the keys down. If Ritsu has grown, and he knows that Izumi has, it is only logical that the others have, as well. Knights’ limits can be pushed further, even if it turns out that only half of them can make it there for now.

“Let’s change the whole key scale to sharp.”

Ritsu tilts his head curiously. “Is that going to be okay?”

“It’s that type of song, anyways. It’ll make it happier than it already is.”

“I was talking about you, you know.” Leo looks up to finally lock gazes with Ritsu’s crimson orbs. They shine with dry amusement, like wine swirling within crystal. “It’s already a new concept for us, but you also stuck in a rap verse for yourself. We’ve never done either of these.”

“It was my idea to try it, so I should be the one to take the risk first.” Leo shrugs his shoulders. He plants his feet flat on the solid ground, props his elbows on the mixing desk – careful of all of the buttons – and lays his chin in his hands. He stares straight into the booth through the glass, meeting Ritsu’s gaze unflinchingly. “It’s more like a mix of singing and rapping, and it’s only a small verse, so it’s fine. Knights will have to open new doors eventually.”

Though Ritsu shakes his head, the trustful grin stretching across his lips say more than words ever could. “Baby steps, then.”

With the entire song changed from bottom up, they restart entirely. Ritsu begins singing from the first verse again; skipping around until all of his lines are recorded to Leo’s standards. With one person complete, Leo switches places with Ritsu, telling the self-proclaimed vampire the basics of how to operate the system. Though it’s his own song, one he composed with his own two hands and ears, even Leo has a couple of hiccups and retakes.

The recording session takes longer than usual for just the two of them, but he is pleased with the results. At last. His skin doesn’t crawl with the itching need to fine-tune it nor rip it entirely to shreds; nor does the ground beneath him suddenly disappear. Leaving the room with happy smiles on their faces, the two of them make their way down to have dinner together in the ES café. Ritsu tells him that they have been practicing the choreography Leo and Izumi sent to them, but have a few, minor adjustments they’d like to discuss.

“You sure you’re alright flipping?” Leo asks, his front teeth just nibbling at the tip of his chopsticks.

“Fufu I’m fine doing it. It’s not like you’re having me flip over anyone, so even if I mess up, you guys won’t get hurt.”

“Don’t call that a safety net and end up hurting yourself.”

Dinner comes to an end pleasantly. Ritsu sets off in search of the Trickstar boy he is so fond of, saying that he has to drag the busy-body away from his work before he gets himself into trouble. Wishing him good hunting, Leo is left alone to wander in his own thoughts. Without conscious thinking, he goes on his own journey, walking along the sidewalk wherever his feet will of their own accord.

The cement is solid underneath his steps. The impact of his foot against it sending slow vibrations up his leg; dispersing and disappearing within his flesh. Only when his feet seep into the ground and he nearly loses his balance does he snap out of his blurred daze and look around. When he registers his location, he can’t help but smile sadly. The salty air splashes against his face as he looks out towards the blinding horizon.

An urge suddenly springs forth within him. Eagerly, Leo bends down, taking off one shoe at a time, haphazardly, and rolling up the legs of his pants to just below his knees. Shoes in hand, he sprints across the sandy beach and splashes into freezing water. The sudden force against the solid liquid blows back a small tidal wave towards him – though he pays no mind to the spots of his clothing that are now soaking wet. Eyes still trained to the horizon, the rays of the setting sun blaze against his pupils hotly.

Nostalgia begins to ache deep within his chest.

Leo turns away, soaking the last bits of warmth disappearing from the land and walks along the shoreline languidly. Ankle deep within the ocean, the pliant sand beneath him squelches in between his toes with every step. It threatens to take him hostage each time he dares disturb their solidarity, dares to separate them from their comrades and leave them to the mercy of the waves.

In all of its irony, though the land he walks on scatters and crevices are created, this is a place where he used to come for guidance – for an answer to the ever-changing, wavering world that may crumble around him like collapsing cliffs. He came here to find his footing again, amidst the warmth of the sun, the chill of the breeze, and the rhythmic eb and flow of the tides.

Izumi did, too. Once upon a time.

The good – even the bad – memories are always more accessible here, playing in their minds like their lives have been made into cinematics. The what-ifs go away, getting taken from them like the sand by the waves, leaving only a solid foundation beneath their feet. One can never go back, but the future can always be changed.

Reaching into his pocket, he takes out his cell phone – nearly drained of battery – and dials a familiar number.

_“Hello?”_

“Sena! Guess what we did today!” Leo excitedly asks. The reflection of his eyes in the water sparkle as brightly as the dusking sun.

_“Is this where I’m supposed to pretend that I didn’t know even though you wouldn’t shut up about it?”_

He chuckles, the anxious quaking in his heart instantly easing at the sound of Izumi’s voice. “Meanie~ But I need to tell you that the song changed.”

_“Changed? What does that mean?”_

“Nnmm…” Leo grumbles the sound within his throat deeply. “Guess I didn’t have time to notice before now, but we’ve grown more confident in our voices. Rittsu has, at least. I can count on the others following along.”

Izumi snorts. _“Who do you think we are, Leo-kun?”_

“Just us.” His calves start to ache as he continues treading through the unrelenting ocean. His feet and ankles begin to freeze uncomfortably within its depths, as well. “Well, I noticed your voice changing right away though~”

_“…You were teaching me for a while… I hope you would know my voice better than anyone else’s.”_

His strides come to a stop. The waves take advantage of his stillness to crash against his shins chillingly and cover his feet with stray sand in attempts to lay the final strike effortlessly.

Right. When the two of them first met, he just couldn’t stay away from Izumi’s beautiful voice, no matter how wretched it came out. “There’s that… But also, because it’s you.” The conversation lulls peacefully, however, Leo wants to listen to that voice more. Craves it. Needs it. “I miss you. Are you coming home soon?”

_“A few more days, but soon. As soon as I can.”_

“I’m recording Naru and Suo’s parts tomorrow. We need to do yours when you get back. I went sharper on the song, you know how to write that, don’t you? So you can practice a bit? Or do you want me to send it to you?”

_“Just send it, will you? I don’t want to mess it up and practice the wrong thing.”_

“Heh~” Leo chuckles breathily, the sound so soft that it gets swept away by the breeze. He lifts his foot to stride across the shore once more, the sand sinking with his weight, but no less sturdy than before. “Even though I taught you all I knew~ But leave it to the experts! I’ll leave modelling to your guidance, then~”

Izumi exhales, _“Like you always end up doing.”_

“Mhm. Because I trust you in the same way you trust me.” It has always been like this. “Come home quickly, Sena. We weren’t given much time to begin with.”

_“Done missing me already?”_

“I’m never done missing you.”

Luckily for him, the days pass by like light streaking across the atmosphere – all of the colors in the world blurring together in an intangible, all-consuming rainbow. Still, perhaps he is unlucky in actuality. The day Izumi returns home comes and goes just as quickly, all of their work finished by the time Leo, too, leaves Japan once more. But it is only a matter of time before they are all together as one again. He only has to bide his time and do his best until that moment comes.

Then arrive, it did – the hasty day that they are to fully debut Knights’ new song upon this brand-new stage.

The clash of swords and the sounds of gunfire are never enough. Arrows burning from the tip fling across the battlefield like confetti. The bright flames, nearly blue in their intensity, scorch into their pupils as much as they sear into their skin. The urge to close their eyes to the scene races through their veins, eyelids twitching sporadically. But one must never look away – no matter how violent or gruesome. Face the uncertainty and the cruel fate, there is no need to look at the world through rose-colored lenses when it will do nothing but retaliate with cold steel flecked with crimson. To watch and to learn is to survive. Especially if one is a participant to such wars – the winner or the loser, the instigator or the victim, all must keep their eyes wide open as comrades may fall and hearts shatter like glass.

The striking brightness flickers with each second that passes by, pupils racing to catch up to the ever-changing spectrum so they are not blinded completely. The flames lick at their skin as they dance across the space with light feet. The soles of their feet burn with the hot earth. Commanders fighting directly in front do not flinch, allowing the flames to consume their battlefield and eat away at the vital oxygen particles desperately surviving within the chaos.

The troops beyond them rally. Their cries louder than even the commanders’. The flames of war constantly change, whether it is an ally or an enemy that loses the will to fight, the battle is not over until its true end. Until the entirety of one side fighting for their ideals is utterly defeated or they retreat to take up arms another day. Perchance, even until all involved, no matter the allegiance, falls to their knees amidst the flames and burn away like smoke drifting in the wind.

Intensifying heat itches at their skin, making it sticky with sweat and grime. The oxygen depletes, their lungs struggle to gain a full breath and release the molecules within their bodies. Their hearts pump faster, coaxing the temperature higher. Hot shouts and body heat become trapped in their little space – within the sphere of their battlefield. The flames dance just as their feet do, keeping everyone out just as it entraps them deep within. To escape would take the same efforts as it would to come out victorious.

Turning their eyes away from the flames is not an option. No matter the circumstances. Even so, one should not just sprint straight into it either. The army depends on every single soldier fighting for their lives. Fighting for their shared ideals. May the fire lick at their skin and melt it away, leaving nothing but scorched bone fragments in their wake, but they will keep fighting until their last breaths if that is what is called upon them. The clash of swords and the sounds of gunfire reverberate alongside the crackle of the flames roaring across the battlefield.

“Our opponent for the first round is impressive.”

Leo glances to the form that now stands beside him, overlooking the crowd and the occupied stage from one of the exits afar. “Get eliminated once and you’re done. Even if it’s not all of their fire power, they don’t have time to play around with us, Suo.”

The red head chuckles lowly. “Indeed. It’s good that they’re not taking us lightly.”

Leo licks his lips, eyes going back to observing the other idol group amidst the flashing lights of the stage. “This will be a fun battle.”

“Bloodthirsty as ever.”

The two of them turn around with a pivot to peer at Izumi casually leaning against the wall of the hallway opposite of them, Arashi and Ritsu at his sides.

Leo smirks, “It has been a while since we’ve all gotten on stage together. I’d prefer someone who is actually trying than someone who can get bribed to not even show up. Not that we’ll lose.”

“Regrettably, Knights hasn’t had a lot of big opportunities, lately.” Tsukasa shakes his head and crosses his arms. “We’ve been taken off as the vanguard and moved to the rearguard.”

“New Dimension is still a newbie company.” Izumi shrugs. “They’ll use anything we’ve got just to make sure they stay alive.”

Ritsu comments next, “Still, we chose this agency over the rest for a reason. We’ll crawl all the way back up from this bottomless hell, just like we did before. And reap the others before they know it.”

“It’s true that we can’t just rampage around like we used to and lead the way.” Arashi giggles behind her hand, shifting her amethyst eyes to pointedly look at the rest of them. “But it’s not so bad, being sent out last.”

“Our entry number in this tournament is shockingly low, so low that I’m starting to think we were an afterthought addition by the higher ups.” Tsukasa sighs pitifully. “Regardless, sending the entirety of our agency in is certainly an interesting move.”

“No other ES agency has their units in.” Izumi adds.

“If we can take up three spots within the highest ranks, then all the better for NewDi.” Leo says thoughtfully. He takes the time to truly look over this group of people before him. The people who he would lay his life down for and still push to his absolute limits to preserve it. The people who he trusts more than anyone on the blazing earth full of cruelties with only sparks of fresh air. “Besides, we can’t let MaM and Switch die here if things go wrong.”

“We are New Dimension’s final weapons, after all.” Tsukasa flips his mood swiftly, becoming haughtily proud.

“Which is why we’re here.” Leo agrees. He carefully makes sure to lock eyes with everyone for a few moments. The azure, the crimson, the amethyst, and the violet. Everyone understands their goal. Knights’ fight here is not to win. “The rearguard’s role is defensive, at best. Offensive at worse.”

“We will make way and lead our army, our vanguard and middle guard, in retreat so that we may survive without casualties.” Their new king declares this with an iron fist. All eyes turn to him; Leo can see the steely determination swimming in those violet pools that sometimes remind him of himself. Startingly so. “New Dimension’s soldiers will never fall, especially here.”

Ritsu chuckles breathily. “We’ll even beat back a deadly pincer attack.”

“If they even dare to try.” Izumi sniffs, turning his head away defiantly.

Leo looks over them fondly. Though their journeys take them on different paths, straying far away from each other, they have the confidence to believe that there will always be a place to go back to. Who they become, what new experiences they gain, the new people they meet – none of it will change that these are the people they will forever call as family. No matter, through turbulent water, air, earth, and fire, this is the place they will continually call home; a place that they will protect even with broken swords.

The crowd beyond the door behind them erupt into cheers, drowning out the last decrescendos of the music. Their group goes quiet and turn their attention to the, now, closed doors. Leo feels his heart instantly picking up pace, anticipation and exhilaration building up within his blood stream and racing across his body like an uncontrolled wildfire.

Tsukasa moves first, the short cape on their costume fluttering behind him with a regal flap. “That is our queue, Knights. Let us step onto the battlefield.”

Arashi claps her hands together and links her fingers as she follows their youngest member. “I’m excited to finally perform this song on stage. This is our first time with a carefree, summer concept. Almost, anyways. It’s not carefree enough to get us out of wearing capes, but whenever I hear it, I just want to splash around at the beach or run through a field of flowers and dewy grass.”

“The salty sea air blowing by~” Ritsu plays along.

“Or even the crisp, forest air surrounding you at your vacation home on top of a mountain.” Tsukasa adds in excitedly.

“And, inevitably, the foolish will get sunburnt underneath the summer sun.” Izumi twists his expression in distaste.

“Wahaha! Don’t be like that, Sena~” Leo laughs, slipping his arm through Izumi’s swinging one and holding it close to his body. “No matter what you imagine, let’s just have fun, okay? You’ll always make sure we don’t leave the house without sunscreen, anyways.”

Moving to just beyond the long corridor and behind locked doors, they prepare themselves to step out onto the stage. Leo adjusts the microphone attached to his earpiece, pressing the little gadget just a bit closer to his mouth. His attention is grabbed by the dimming lights and the sudden hush spreading over the audience. His heart pounds harder against his chest cavity. It echoes in his ears like a bass drum, nearly too loudly over the silence.

The five of them look at each other and nod. It’s time to take to the battlefield.

Introductions aren’t necessary here. In this place, within the tournament rules, they must only keep their eyes on the cameras and give them a good show. Things such as introductions are made for them prior to each battling pair of units. But it doesn’t matter. Nowadays, they can adapt to anything.

Within the dim lighting, their forms only outlined in shadows, they take their positions and freeze.

The lights flash on. The music starts.

Through muscle memory alone, their bodies mechanically move with the first beat. The crowd remains politely quiet as the melody – new to their ears – plays through the speakers, rumbling the very ground beneath them. Leo prays they listen carefully; hopes that Knights may take them away to a paradise unknown with carefree joy; away from all of their worries and cruel realities. They took the time to come out and see them, after all.

They owe their fans everything. For their fates that have been woven together tightly.

He feigns looking towards the camera set to the side of the stage and lands his sights on one very special destiny that has been interlaced with his own.

Izumi spins by him in the choreography. “I know it’s a happy, summer song, but what’s with that big grin, Leo-kun?”

It is a couple passes within the choreography before Leo can reply. “Probably because you’re smiling.”

“What?”

“You’ve always…” Leo’s microphone clicks on. He steps to his position and does his own movements while the rest dance to synchronized steps as he sings. It clicks off. “Been my reflection. We’re a reflection of each other. When you’re happy, I’m happy. When I’m sad, you’re sad.”

Izumi listens carefully, though it’s his turn to sing next.

Leo continues when the choreography sends them both to the back, “And when you’re walking on egg shells around me, I am around you, too. It has always been like this, since the very moment we met. I’m most sorry about the fact that when I fell, you did, too, though. You ended up doing things you regretted because I ran away scared of our fates.”

“…Why are you saying this now?”

“You asked~” The smile never leaves Leo’s lips as he slips pass the model and takes his spot on the other side.

The song continues its upbeat tune, getting closer and closer to its end before Izumi replies, “Then make sure you’re happy, Leo-kun. Then I’ll be happy, too. No matter where we are.”

Perhaps his smile is too wide, even for this type of melody. Though it’s Yumenosaki tradition and a technique they’ve been carefully taught through the years, they can’t chat forever. Monologuing on stage gets noticeable after a while, even if they’re pretending to recite the others’ lines.

No matter where they find themselves and what path they seek, they are in each other’s care. The past can never be returned to them, but the future is pliable. What they do in their present day can change their fates for the better.

If this is what his future looks like from now on – with his family and most beloved scattered all about the globe – he’s fine with that. Leo will support them with all he can; affection bursting in his heart knowing that they will readily do the same for him, in turn. They are all growing to be the people they are meant to be, chasing after their long-awaited dreams of shining hopes and grasping them in their very own two hands.

Always. They will always find their way back to each other, no matter what elements may stand in their way. To their one destiny as Knights.

The five of them complete their last pass of the choreography, singing their last verses to the dying music. Within the next beat, they all shift into their ending formation. Leo, behind his back, trails his fingers down Izumi’s arm – who is right beside him – and interlocks a couple of appendages within his.

To the Knights that started as just the two of them, struggling to stay above the surface of stormy waters, a time of peace has finally come. They couldn’t have protected it alone, the two of them drowning within the pitch-black sea together – unwittingly pulling each other down under thanks to the mirror they see between their eyes. So, today, in their present, the two of them will protect this precious place so that the future may remain bright.

The cheers of their rallying allies seep through even their in-ear monitors.

The future is always a frightening mystery of endless possibilities.

Izumi squeezes his fingers back.

But it’s not so bad with these people by his side. He’s even looking forward to it, now! They’re never really alone, after all.

Since the beginning, if only he looked, Leo would’ve seen Izumi waiting for him. Crying in heartbreak, as well. But they’ve figured things out now; how the reflection works, and who they want to be as individuals. How they will bolster each other up instead, and leave the past behind them to move forward towards the rising sun of their fates. Things will change, it’s inevitable. The normal of yesterday may not be the normal of today nor the normal of the future. But no matter how unrecognizable the world may become, there is always a constant that remains strong. A constant that anchors a person to the ground and promises care when all they want is to escape with dread.

For sticking with him through all of it, for taking in all of the good and bad and still remaining kind, Leo loves Izumi more than anyone in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> That's the end of IzuLeo Week 2020!!! Aaah it has been a long journey T^T As much as I complained about writing so much, it was really fun. I hope you enjoyed the week as much as I did!!
> 
> Thank you for reading to the end~ Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!!! <3


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